Sarasota Senior AdvisorWhat is Optional State Supplementation in Florida?
Optional State Supplementation (OSS) is a monthly cash payment from the Florida Department of Children and Families that helps eligible low-income residents of assisted living facilities, adult family care homes and certain mental health residential facilities pay for room and board.
OSS is set by rule 65A-2.036, Florida Administrative Code, within the money the Legislature appropriates, and it is paid on top of the resident's own income such as Social Security or SSI.
How is the OSS payment calculated?
DCF adds the facility's base provider rate to the standard personal needs allowance of $160 to get the resident's total need, then subtracts the resident's countable income; the difference is the OSS payment.
The rule's income eligibility standard and base provider rate are both raised each year by the SSI cost-of-living adjustment, so ask DCF or the facility for the current-year figures rather than relying on older published amounts.
Do Sarasota and Manatee assisted living facilities accept OSS?
Some do: 14 licensed ALFs in Sarasota and Manatee counties report beds set aside for OSS residents on their AHCA profiles, 225 beds in all, including Great American Assisted Living Community at Bradenton LLC (76), Best Care Senior Living at Sarasota LLC (50), Brookdale Palma Sola (20), The Meadows of Sarasota Senior Living (17), Bradenton Palms ALF I (14).
OSS beds are exempt from the per-bed licensing fee in s. 429.07(4), which is one reason facilities designate them. A facility with no OSS beds may still accept a resident who qualifies, but it is not required to.
Can someone receive both OSS and Medicaid long-term care in an ALF?
Yes: OSS helps with room and board while a Medicaid long-term care plan can pay for assisted living services, so a low-income resident can combine the two in a facility that accepts both.
Facilities serving OSS residents with serious mental illness must hold a limited mental health license (s. 429.075).
How do you apply for OSS in Florida?
Apply through the Department of Children and Families' ACCESS Florida system, listing the assisted living facility or adult family care home where the person lives or will live; eligibility depends on age or disability, income below the OSS standard and assets within the limit.
The Aging and Disability Resource Center for your county can help with the application and with Medicaid screening at the same time.
At a glance
| OSS is | OSS is not | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Cash help with ALF or AFCH room and board | Payment for care services |
| Size | Total need minus income | A fixed amount for everyone |
| Availability | In facilities that accept OSS residents | Guaranteed in every ALF |
Sources include Chapters 408, 429 and 651 of the Florida Statutes, Fla. Admin. Code chapters 59A-36 and 65A-2, AHCA, DCF, OIR and Elder Affairs pages, CareScout and VA rate tables as cited above; see our editorial standards.
